Color My World
by CHICAGO CHICK
Summary: A gathering at the Roberts’ surfaces some long denied feelings.


Title: Color My World  
Author: Chicago Chick  
Rating: PG  
Summary: A gathering at the Roberts' surfaces some long denied feelings.  
Disclaimer: JAG, its characters and their stupidity don't belong to me, just borrowing them. Also the song "Color My World", sung by Petula Clark isn't mine.  
Author's Note: I heard the song on the M&Ms commercial, and thought that it had potential, so I found the lyrics via Google, and printed them out to copy for this. I also took a while to come up with a story, though you should know, it is a short, stupid, somewhat song fic. I also will warn you, I still don't know where Bud and Harriet live, so for the time being, it will be in Alexandria for my convenience. I am also disregarding Mac's mysterious illness, but not Webb's death.

1926 EST  
ROBERTS RESIDENCE  
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA  
  
Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie pulled up in the driveway to the Roberts residence a couple minutes early according to her internal clock. As she arrived at the front door, the streak of six year old AJ Roberts ran to latch on to her left leg.

"Hey AJ, where's your mommy?" she asked as she pried him off for a warm hug.

"Inside with Jimmy and Daddy. She said I could play out here with my new monster truck Uncle Mikey gave me for my birthday, as long as I didn't leave the porch," he grinned revealing his missing front tooth.

"Wow AJ, when did you lose that tooth?" she asked as she spotted it.

"Yesterday at lunch. I was trying to eat, and it was bothering me, so I pulled it out," AJ boasted puffing out his small chest.

"All by yourself? Did it hurt?" Mac dramatized for the child's benefit.

"Yep, I did. Hey, look! It's uncle Harm!" he pulled out of her loose embrace and ran down the steps to be scooped up by Harm and made into and "airplane".

Harm put him back down on the ground and was dragged over to where Mac stood, and greeted her with a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. Their friendship had been running extremely smoothly since the death of Clayton Webb, and the end of Mac and Clay's relationship.

AJ interrupted the moment when he started jabbering about all of the presents he acquired from his parents and uncle Mikey on his recent birthday. They just looked at each other and Mac rolled her eyes as Harm shook his head. Harriet suddenly stepped out onto the porch having heard AJ talking to someone, with Jimmy perched at just the right angle so he wouldn't put pressure on her enormous belly.

Harm immediately took Jimmy and handed him to Mac and picked up AJ, all the while scolding her for carrying around so much weight at such a late stage of pregnancy. She argued that Jimmy weighed hardly anything and she didn't mind. She looked to Mac for help and she in turn set her face to Marine mode.

"Harmon David Rabb, will you leave her alone? She probably would have found some other way to transport Jimmy if she could, but probably had no other choice. Lay off, squid," she demanded.

Harriet smiled at her and gave her an awkward hug, thanking her. She then turned to Harm and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Waddling back into the house, she called to them to come inside. They smiled at each other amused at the reservist Lieutenant's still commanding attitude, even though she'd been deactivated for just about six months now.

As soon as they were inside, AJ squirmed out of the tall commander's arms and dropped to the floor, running to the den to his father who was quietly working on his laptop. Harriet told them to have a seat as she laid Jimmy down in his playpen, minutes later joining them.

"So, when's everyone supposed to show up?" Harm asked, starting conversation.

"Any time now," Harriet replied.

"Well, I suggest until then you put your feet up and rest," he said while receiving an elbow to the ribs from the Marine Colonel sitting next to him.

"Hey!" he protested, "I've read it helps with the pain and swelling of the feet!"

"And why pre tell would you be reading about that, flyboy?" Mac asked raising an eyebrow amusedly.

"Um... Well..." he stuttered, turning red, "No reason... Curiosity?"

"Right stickboy," she drew out, "And I want to join the army for kicks, wanna give the real reason?"

"You should know, marine, you agreed to the deal," he turned the tables, "Thought you might need some help somewhere along the way. Most women can't do it alone."

"Wha? Where did that come from?" she asked defensively.

"Well, hey, I mean it is physically impossible for a woman to... You know... Herself..." he turned red again.

"It's impossible for women to do what by herself, flyboy? Give birth to and raise a child? Create a life for herself at the same time? Fall in love all over again... Not impossible, believe me... It's not," she said softly before the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of Sturgis and Varese.

"Well," he got in before standing to greet the two new guests, "At least you don't have to worry about doing it alone. I wanna be there for everything, even the conception, ninjagirl."

TWENTY MINUTES LATER...  
  
After all the guests arrived, as well as the pizzas, they all sat down and dished up the chow. Harm sat in the overstuffed recliner, Mac perched comfortably on the cushioned arm, Harriet was on the couch with her feet resting on the coffee table, Bud was next to her with little AJ on his lap, and Sturgis and Varese were on the love seat. Big AJ was next to Bud holding Jimmy and eating one handed, and Jennifer and Mattie were sitting on the floor with their slices. 

Harm finished quickly and looked to Mac who was slowly picking at hers which was practically dripping with meat. She felt eyes on her and looked down to him.

"I haven't been feeling well lately. My doctor said it was a new strain of the flu virus. I can't eat anything with out rolfing it back up," she whined.

"Well we can go out onto the porch and get some fresh air if you'd like. Or we can go play with Jimmy and AJ. Or you can come down here, sit in my lap and relax a little," he suggested.

She unceremoniously dropped her paper plate on the table and slid down onto his lap snuggling her head into his shoulder and put a hand on his chest, grabbing a handful of his white cotton button-down shirt. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple lightly. She moved her head upwards and boldly captured his lips and kissed him lightly.

"Want to make that trip to the porch yet?" he asked huskily.

"Mmmhmm. Though the last time we were on a porch together in the dark didn't work out how I wanted it to," she said standing and pulling him up with her.

As soon as the door closed behind them, she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him mercilessly until the air ran out. As they were catching their breath, she leaned her forehead against his, and looked into his eyes.

"Harm, I'm sick of waiting. I want something to happen. Tell me you love me," she begged, "Because I sure as hell do. I love you so much, Harm. Please?"

"Sarah Catherine MacKenzie, I love you so much it hurts," he said as he kissed her neck lightly.

"Harm, don't..." she moaned, "Don't start something we can't finish right away. Wait until we go home."

He smiled against her neck and nibbled at it once again, then kissed her lightly on the lips. He led her over to the wooden porch swing and pulled her down with him holding her tightly, running his fingers through her long, silky brown tresses that fell to her shoulders in a gentle wave.

Her feet were tucked up under her and her arms around his neck, holding tightly. Her head rested on his shoulder and he kissed her forehead quickly, then rested his against the top of hers.

Music drifted out onto the porch and he pulled her up from the swing and into his arms again.

_You'll never see a dark cloud hanging 'round me  
Now there's only blue sky to surround me  
There's never been a gray day since you found me  
Everything I touch is turned to gold._

"Damn straight, there's only gonna be good days when we're together, my sweet Sarah," he whispered into her hair, "And everything you touch **will** be gold."

_So you can color my world with sunshine yellow each day  
Oh you can color my world with happiness all the way  
Just take the green from the grass and the blue from the sky up above  
And if you color my world, just paint it with your love  
Just color my world._

"Then color my world flyboy, when we get home, I expect everything you've got, no holding out," she nipped at his neck playfully.

"No holding out, aye ma'am," he grinned.

_Just as long as you're thinking of me  
There'll be a rainbow always up above me  
Since I found the one who really loves me  
Everything I touch is turned to gold._

"Just so long as you don't start fantasizing about anyone else while you're fulfilling orders, commander."

"Ah, but you should know it's always been the other way around. When I'm with others, I always fantasize about you, beautiful," he articulated pulling her closer, if at all possible.

_So you can color my world with sunshine yellow each day  
Oh you can color my world with happiness all the way  
Just take the green from the grass and the blue from the sky up above  
And if you color my world, just paint it with your love  
Just color my world._

"Then **you**, sailor should know that all the fantasizing I've done over the past nine years has been about you. Everything you do sends me off in another world. Flyboy, you're my everything. My whole world. When you left, my entire being shattered into a million pieces... Then the terms you came back on further tore me apart. I'm so glad it's all led up to this though. All the fighting, the laughing, the pain... It brought us to this perfect moment. I wouldn't ever ask for more..."

"Even if I asked you to marry me? Or spend the rest of your life with me and our future children?" he asked looking into her molten, chocolate brown eyes.

"Harm... What are you trying to say? Are you asking me to-"

"Yes, I am. Sarah Catherine MacKenzie, would you be willing to become Mrs. Harmon Rabb, Junior?" he asked loosening his grip.

"Yes... Under one condition..." her eyes met his.

_Sunshine yellow, orange blossom  
Laughing faces everywhere, yeah..._

"Anything, my love," Harm kissed her temple.

"We have a big wedding with all of our friends and family in the rose garden... That is, if it's okay with you..." she looked doubtful.

"I said anything, Sarah," he leaned down and placed a long, soft kiss on her lips

All of a sudden, the door burst open and Mattie, Jenn, and Varese came tumbling out laughing so hard tears streamed down their cheeks. Stopping dead in their tracks, they saw Harm and Mac wrapped up in each other's arms and looking like a deer caught in a semi's headlights.

They all looked at each other and finally Sturgis came out and broke the silence with, "Finally!"

"What do you mean by 'finally', Sturgis? Since when have the Colonel and Commander's personal lives involved you, mister 'I've-Done-It-All-Right'. How long did it take you to ask me out?" Varese asked in an accusatory tone.

"Since Mac told me she was in love with Harm," Sturgis blurted out, then smacked his hand against his forehead.

"Sturgis! I told you never to tell!" Mac pulled out of Harm's arms to stand toe-to-toe with the tall, dark Navy commander, eyes ablaze, "How could you betray my trust in you like that?"

"But Mac, you just-"

"I don't give a flying f-"

"Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie, stand down!" was heard from the doorway.

She turned to see Chegwidden standing with the light cascading around him, creating sharp shadows that gave off an ominous look. She looked him square in the eyes; hurt and betrayal already flooded hers and opened her mouth.

"Sir, respectfully, I am not under your command anymore, and you are no longer an Admiral in the United States Navy. So lay off _sir_!" she turned back into Harm's arms, burying her head into the crook of his neck.

His arms wrapped around her firmly, one hand splayed across her back and the other held the back of her head against him. Harm looked up to Sturgis questioningly. He just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, grabbing Varese's hand and pulling her closer to him. Mattie and Jenn, who had been quiet the entire time, looked at each other and made a beeline for the door.

The ex-Two Star Admiral turned on his heal with a hurt look from the harsh words and headed inside. Sturgis and Varese reluctantly followed after Mac showed no signs of moving anytime soon, and as soon as the door closed, Harm led her over to the old porch swing once again. She looked up to him with a scared expression on her face.

"Why would you tell Sturgis first, and not me, Sarah?" he asked softly.

"It slipped out one day while you were on assignment... Are you mad at me?" She looked into his bright green eyes.

"No, Sarah. I could never be mad at you, I love you too much," he locked his lips onto hers.

She deepened the kiss after all of about half of a minute. His hands flew all over her body, finally coming to rest on her back, under her shirt. Hers, meanwhile, were traveling down his chest, slowly taking each of the buttons out of their respective holes, finally pulling it off of his shoulders.

"Sarah..." he murmured against her mouth, "We can't... Not here... Let's go inside, and say our good-byes, then go home... Please, I can't hold out much longer..."

"Mmm, okay, but it better be fast, Harmon..." she bit down lightly on his lip before letting him go.

He quickly buttoned his shirt as she straightened her own. They walked inside hand in hand, made their apologies and good byes and soon after, left.

_Color my world, color my world._

THE NEXT DAY...  
1149 EST  
JAG HEADQUARTERS  
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 

The next day in the office, Sturgis, Harm, and Mac were all tense. Mac refused to talk to Sturgis, and Harm was in the Marine Colonel's office a lot. Harriet showed up around lunchtime to see Bud, but found out he was in court, so she made a visit to Lieutenant Colonel MacKenzie.

"Good morning, ma'am," Harriet greeted, "You free for lunch?"

"Actually, I am," she smiled, "Just give me a minute, okay?"

"Yes ma'am."

Mac signed a few documents, and handed off a folder to a young 2nd Lieutenant before finally leaving.

1211 EST  
GIULIANNI'S FAMILY RESTAURANT  
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

They headed out to a new Italian place down the block and took a table outside.

"Ma'am, what happened last night?" Harriet asked all of a sudden.

"I don't know what you mean, Harriet. And while you're at it, stop calling me ma'am. I am your son's godmother, and I was your maid of honor. Please, call me Mac," she pleaded.

"Yes, ma- Mac," the young lieutenant smiled, "So? What happened? You guys just left, and out of no where you kissed him..."

"We... Uh... Made some changes last night..." Mac looked down at her food.

"So... Did you do the dirty deed?" Harriet asked with an impish gleam in her eye.

"Harriet!" she looked up surprised and caught the look in the other woman's eye, "Yes, we did... If you must know..."

Harriet squealed with delight as Mac slid down in her seat, and slapped a hand over her already reddening face. Looking up again after a few seconds, she saw the eager look in Harriet's eyes regretted doing so.

"What else, Harriet, before I decide to take an extended leave of absence," she sighed.

"You didn't just have a one nighter," Harriet stated.

"No... But you have to promise not to tell anyone, even Bud. And I mean **no one**," she looked deeply into her friend's eyes.

"I won't tell a soul, unless you instruct me otherwise," Harriet said slipping into professional mode.

"He asked me to marry him..."

"And?" she got the eager look back.

"I said yes."

She pulled her dog tags out of her shirt. Attached to the shorter chain, was a platinum ring set with a half-carat diamond in the middle and two smaller sapphires on either side.

"Oh, it's beautiful, Mac!" Harriet fingered the ring on the chain, "Why don't you wear it on your hand, where it belongs?"

"Questions will come up and we're not ready for it yet. Harm and I think it's best. With the new Judge Advocate, and everyone moving around. When everything dies down a little, we'll make the announcement. We also need to figure out who stays at JAG," she explained.

"Why don't you just wear it, and if questions come up just tell them it's none of their business?" Harriet continued.

"Because, what if someone higher up finds out and they ask questions. I can't just not answer them. I could get in deep if I just ignore them, not answer their inquiries," she said as she stared at the ring.

All of a sudden, she slipped the chain from her neck, and took the ring off. She slid the ring onto her finger, and set her jaw.

"You've made your point, Lieutenant, I don't care. I love him, and I don't care who knows. Hell, when I get back, if he's out of court, there's going to be a big movie playing in the bull pen."

1302 EST  
JAG HEADQUARTERS  
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 

Commander Harmon Rabb, Junior was walking to his office when he heard a familiar voice call his name. Just as he turned around, he saw her walking toward him slowly and seductively. When she reached him, she pulled his face to hers and kissed him soulfully. As soon as they broke apart, he saw the ring.

"You put it on? I thought you were going to wait..." he looked surprised.

"I don't want to hide the fact I love you. I want to marry you, and have your children. A certain lieutenant helped me realize it. I want her to be my maid of honor if you don't mind, flyboy," she quickly kissed him again.

"Anything you want, princess... Yes, I know what your name means, and now I can use it against you. Have I told you lately that I love you?" a throat clearing behind them broke the spell that had been cast over them.

"I hope that this experience has been a good one, because it will never happen again. Am I clear, Colonel, Commander?" the new JAG asked.

"Yes ma'am!" they both answered simultaneously.

"Good, now, people back to work!" she barked

"But, ma'am-"Mac started after him.

"I said back to work, Colonel. Would you like a court martial for disobeying a direct order?"

"No, ma'am! But Commander Rabb and I-"

"Better get back to work before they get in big trouble... And MacKenzie, just so long as you keep it at home, and not in my office, it doesn't matter. Am I understood Colonel?"

"Yes ma'am!" she snapped to attention, "Thank you, ma'am!"

SIX MONTHS LATER...  
1246 EST  
WHITE HOUSE ROSE GARDEN  
WASHINGTON, D.C.  
  
The ex-admiral used almost all of the favors that'd accumulated over the years to get this chance for his close friends that he had come to think of as his own son and daughter. In return, his 'daughter' agreed to let him walk her down the aisle and give her away. 

Mac sat in the small room that was being used as the bridal dressing room putting the finishing touches on her makeup, and checking her hair and dress. Her hair, a masterpiece created by Harriet, consisted of loose curls that cascaded down her shoulders, half of it woven into the comb that held her veil.

The dress was made mostly of satin and chiffon, the form-fitting bodice was intricately decorated by tiny, clear glass beads depicting several small blooming roses and buds. The skirt was four layers, the first was satin, the other three chiffon, the top layer was again decorated by the little beads.

A knock was heard at the door and then AJ's voice asking if everyone was decent. At the okay, he stepped inside first seeing Harriet fussing over the twins, getting their clothing to sit as close to perfect as it would get on infants of their size. Next he saw Mac, standing in front of the mirror, putting an earring in.

"If only I was twenty years younger, Colonel," AJ commented as he walked to her, "Almost ready?"

"Yes sir, though, we do have thirteen minutes and forty two seconds until we have to be at the head of the path. If I'm early, Harm might see me, and it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, Harriet and the other bridesmaids might as well head out now, though. It'll take them nine minutes and thirty two seconds to get there, we can start out as soon as I find my shoes" she said as she slid the second earring in.

"They're over here, Mac," Chloe said coming out from behind the screen they all dressed behind.

"Thank you, Chloe, now go try to catch up with the rest of them, you **are** the first one down the aisle," Mac pushed Chloe out of the room gently.

She sat down on a chair that had been recently vacated by one of the twins' carriers, and with a little effort, put her shoes on. With the admiral's help, she stood and let go as she started to walk to the door. Looking back, Sarah smiled.

"You coming AJ? Can't go down without you, you know."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm coming," he held out his arm for her to take.

As soon as they got there, they heard the music begin. Chloe stepped through the threshold created by the rose covered trellis and began dropping white rose petals over the red ones that already covered the trail. The bridesmaids, Varese, Bobbi Latham, Jennifer, Mattie and Harriet followed her. As soon as Harriet took her place across from Bud, the wedding march was played and Mac and AJ made their way down the aisle.

Harm's breath caught in his throat when he saw his bride and mentor walking down the rose petal strewn path. Their eyes locked and she smiled warmly at him. He grinned back his famous flyboy grin.

AJ and Sarah reached the platform where Chaplain Turner, Harm, Bud, Sturgis, Tiner (half way through law school), Keeter, and Mikey stood in wait. Bud, who was the best man, had a dreamy look on his face, remembering back to his own wedding.

AJ lifted Mac's veil, kissed her cheek and gave her hand to Harm. Harm, in turn, led her up onto the platform to face Chaplain Turner. He took her other hand, and squeezed lightly.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to join these two souls in holy matrimony..."

A YEAR LATER...  
0815 EST  
JAG HEADQUARTERS  
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 

Harm exited the elevator with a bounce in his step. Striding out of the elevator behind him was his wife, holding their tiny baby daughter. Bud, having been out on assignment since tiny Catherine Harmony was born, hurried over to greet his friends and wife's goddaughter.

Catherine cooed and smiled when she was handed over to Bud, while he started making faces. The new JAG, a female General, walked into the bullpen, knowing the commotion was undoubtedly caused by the Colonel and Commander, as usual. What she found surprised her though. Commander Rabb holding a tiny version of the colonel in his arms, all except the striking green eyes that were so obviously the commander's.

"So, is it safe to assume this is the Catherine Harmony Rabb the entire office has been hearing about since she made her explosive appearance a week ago?" she asked nearing the tall commander.

"Yes ma'am. Would you like to hold her?" Mac asked politely.

"Sure, why not. I after all never got to see her in the hospital..." the general said carefully taking the tiny girl into her arms.

Mac watched as her daughter's face screwed up and she let out a piercing wail. The general looked up from the pretty little girl and to the colonel and commander, with a surprised expression.

"I'm sorry ma'am, she hasn't eaten since about 0530, and I'm guessing she's hungry since she didn't smell twenty-two seconds ago when Harm was holding her," Mac yelled over her daughter's cries.

She took the baby from the surprised JAG and walked briskly to her office where she closed the door and the blinds. Everyone looked to Harm for an answer as to why Mac isolated herself to feed the baby.

"Uh... She uh... You know... Doesn't like carrying around bottles and stuff, and says its cheaper and she loses baby fat quicker," he stumbled.

Everyone looked from the Colonel's office to the flustered Commander Rabb knowingly and went back to work. Bud, Sturgis and the general also went back to work, Bud making a comment about knowing how he feels being a new dad. Harm just shrugged and walked into Mac's office announcing himself before he did so, so she wouldn't freak out.

What he found warmed him, Mac was sitting in her desk chair, with Catherine latched on, singing an old Persian lullaby her grandmother sang to her on a few occasions when she was small. He walked around the desk, taking a chair with him as he did so, sat next to her, watching and listening them as she finished the lullaby and feeding at the same exact time.

"That was beautiful, sweetheart," he commented as she started burping Catherine.

"Thank you, Harm. My grandmother used to sing that to me every time I visited her when I was little. There's another verse, but I can't remember it, so that's as good as it's gonna get for now, until I remember it. Did you call Mattie, and tell her we're here, and going to pick her up after vollyball practice?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, she said it was alright with her, and she wanted to see Catherine again anyway," he explained taking on the look he'd had since Mattie moved back in with her dad.

Good, so we're godd for the reservations at Gieuliani's we had at 1800?" she asked standing up and kissing his cheek lightly, "I think I owe the general another chance to hold Catherine for more than twenty-two seconds."

"Yeah, we're still on for gourmet pizza of your choices, ninjagirl," he grinned, kissing her softly on the lips, as Catherine cooed intently.

"I love you, Harm, and I love our daughter, and I love Mattie, and I love our lives together," she sighed as she took his hand and walked out the door, she'd previously opened as she was talking.

"I love you, Mattie, Catherine and our life too, now about that General..." he responded.

-- -- --HARM & MAC FOREVER-- -- --

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Did you love it? I loved writing it. I also loved entertaining thoughts of the wedding and subsequent baby... sighs ... If only... Anyway, as always, it was a pleasure writing and sharing it with you, hope you had as much fun reading as I had writing...  
Luv ya!  
ChicagoChick


End file.
